MARC POLYMEROPOULOS

Retired Senior Intelligence Service Officer

Bio

Marc Polymeropoulos retired from the Senior Intelligence Service ranks in 2019 after serving for 26 years at the Central Intelligence Agency in a variety of operational field and headquarters assignments covering the Middle East, South Asia, Europe and Eurasia. He was an expert in counterterrorism, covert action and human intelligence collection. Marc’s last position was overseeing CIA’s clandestine operations in Europe and Eurasia. Marc also served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and was one of CIA's most highly decorated field officers, having received the CIA’s Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the Intelligence Medal of Merit, and the Intelligence Commendation Medal. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Cornell University.

SPEECH TOPICS

• Finding Clarity in the Shadows

  • Marc reviews his 10 core principles of leadership, learned from the streets of the Near East and South Asia. They include "Win an Oscar," the "Glue Guy," and "Adversity is the PED to Success." As one of CIA's most highly decorated field operations officers, these principles are universally applicable in all walks of life.

• Life as an Intelligence Officer From Flip Phone to the Age Of Twitter

  • Marc discusses what it was like to serve in this unique time period, which includes a discussion of the "Trump Effect" on recruitment operations and working with foreign liaison.  Marc discusses the challenges that the IC will face into the 21st century, with a focus on leadership and ethics.

• Baseball and the CIA

  • Marc speaks on the parallels between life in the CIA and Baseball. It is an insightful, funny and personal talk, filled with principles such as the need to hit .300 in both baseball and espionage operations, how adversity builds character in both worlds, and how you never miss the hit and run sign, when your teammates are relying on you.  Coupled with some unique and exciting stories from places like Iraq and Afghanistan, Marc notes that espionage operations strive to do the impossible - just like trying to hit a wicked curve ball.